


On The Outside Looking In

by SamuelJames



Category: History Boys (2006)
Genre: Community: comment_fic, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2013-05-04
Packaged: 2017-12-10 10:06:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/784842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelJames/pseuds/SamuelJames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys are quite nice individually but as a group they have this way of unintentionally excluding people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On The Outside Looking In

**Author's Note:**

> Title: On The Outside Looking In  
> Pairing/Characters: Kelly Guy/Peter Rudge, Anna Kemp/James Lockwood, Brian Roberts/Stuart Dakin, David Posner/Don Scripps, Chris Crowther, Adi Akthar, Anthony Timms  
> Rating: PG-13  
> Summary: The boys are quite nice individually but as a group they have this way of unintentionally excluding people.  
> Spoilers: Vague Spoilers for The History Boys in relation to one of the boy's future.  
> Notes: Written for the comment_fic prompt The History Boys (film), the boys, Whenever they get together after graduation, they always somehow start reciting poetry, acting out skits, and any number of little things that they learned in Hector's class. It never fails to draw a laugh -- or to alienate outsiders.  
> Note on names: Used the canon first names I knew from the film and found a first name for Timms on AO3.  
> Disclaimer: The History Boys is the property of its creators. No copyright infringement is intended.  
> Archiving Information: Please do not archive elsewhere on the net.

Kelly sits at one end of the table with Anna and Brian observing the boys. They're used to this by now when it's all of them together.

"At least we have each other," Brian says. "Stuart practically forgets I exist when he's around them."

Anna nods. "It's nice though, them being such good mates. Jimmy will miss them."

Kelly smiles sympathetically. "I bet you will too."

"Yeah. I mean I knew he'd be going off to the army when we met. I just didn't expect we'd get so close. I love him so much."

Brian stands. "Anyone want refills?"

"Yes please," the girls reply. One advantage of practically being forgotten by their respective boyfriends is it makes rounds cheaper.

Kelly looks down the table. Peter is lovely and she can only imagine how upset she'd be if this were his goodbye instead of Jimmy's. He adores her and when it's just the two of them she's the centre of his world but with his rugby mates it's all macho sports stuff and with this lot it's obscure quotations. Last night he actually studied for this like it was an exam. Said he had to brush up on his quotes just in case. Stuart and David are always quick to answer but Chris isn't bad either and Peter has to try to keep up. She tries to catch his eye but he's fiercely concentrated on Don's next question.

"Okay. My turn. The carriage held but just ourselves..."

"And immortality," Kelly says but they don't hear her. Instead Adi shouts out the answer and the others have to take a sip of their drinks.

Anna nudges Kelly. "They don't play well with others."

Setting down their new drinks Brian speaks. "Yeah. I tried once but they'd changed the rules. I finished the quote but they wanted the poet's name. Have you heard the singing? I mean it can be The Smiths one minute and then Gracie Fields or Judy Garland the next. I borrowed Stuart's walkman last week and he had this tape of Ella Fitzgerald. All the influence of the indomitable Hector I presume."

The girls nod, having heard about Hector quite a bit, and Kelly sips her drink. If there's a piano somewhere, Don will end up playing and the boys all have good voices but David's is great. There's a connection between him and Don when they perform and she envies them a little. They're so sweet and both of them get to be included. She had started the evening next to Peter but gradually got shunted down the table till it was her, Brian and Anna. She's the newest of this trio but they both welcomed her and she's grateful to have someone to talk to. Last time she had dinner with Peter, Don and David she'd ended up listening to them quote Robert Frost, Rupert Brooke, John Milton and Christina Rossetti. She's getting better at recognising the quotes but the boys just have this bond that no outsider can break.

Jimmy shushes everyone. "My goodbye, my turn. Name that author, 'Twas brilling, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble..."

"Lewis Carroll," says Peter. "An easy one."

Kelly is proud of him and he looks over to her and smiles. Christ he's adorable when he does that.

"Okay," Stuart asks. "But what was Carroll's real name?"

"Arthur Dodgson," says Don.

"Nope. Drink up," crows Stuart delightedly. "Anyone?"

There's quiet at the table so Brian speaks. "It's Charles Dodgson."

Stuart nods and rests his hand on Brian's thigh briefly, turning towards him so Brian gets the full force of that grin. "Yeah. Well done."

The boys argue over the fairness of Stuart's boyfriend knowing the answer with Jimmy saying. "You might have told him in advance."

Anna speaks up. "He didn't, Jimmy. You lot don't have a monopoly on knowledge you know." She gestures at Kelly and Brian either side of her. "All three of us got into college for a reason. We might not all be scholarship students but we all did English A levels and Brian's going to be a lawyer so he's probably read more than a few books in his time."

Jimmy holds his hands up in surrender. "Okay. I believe you. Sorry, love."

The boys tease him for saying love and then Anthony starts telling a story, something about a train and a teacher called Irwin and David being a woman. Kelly's heard Irwin's name before though didn't know he was a teacher till now. She'll have to get Peter to explain it later. She sees David and Don share a look and then Don asks someone to name three Hardy poems.

David answers quickly, "At An Inn, Drummer Hodge and The Man He Killed." He begins reciting The Man He Killed with Chris and Stuart heartily joining in like they know the words better than they'd know the current number one single. In fairness they probably do and the game, that only they know the rules to, is back in full swing so Kelly goes to the bar and gets Anna a double.

"That's for saying what the rest of us have wanted to say. I'm sure they don't realise they're leaving everyone else out but it just happens when they're near each other."

Brian nods and they tune out the rest of the boys to talk about exams. As the night progresses Stuart gets more affectionate and occasionally pulls Brian away to kiss him. The other boys wolf-whistle every time, just out of habit. After they're done with poetry and at some signal known only to themselves, Don and David set themselves up at the piano to say goodbye to Jimmy. They all gather and Kelly stands in front of Peter with his arms round her. She tilts her head and he kisses her neck. She rests her hands on his and watches as Anna wraps her arm around Jimmy. Brian holds Anna's hand in support, saying goodbye is going to be tough. Brian's other hand is taken by Stuart. Anthony grabs himself a stool, having downed more pints than the others and when he thinks nobody is watching, Jimmy smiles and takes a deep breath like he's trying not to cry. Kelly looks away so he won't know she's seen him. Don plays a few scales as if he's been out of practice, like he'd ever be given the chance.

Jimmy gives Chris a shove. "Do a duet."

Chris smiles but goes to stand beside David and puts his arm round him. "You just want me for my deep voice."

"Shut up," says David gently elbowing him in the stomach.

Kelly smiles at the banter between the boys because as much as they exclude people it's obvious how close they all are. They take the piss and they tease but it's all good-natured. It's nice to even be an honorary part of this group and she's made Anna promise not to lose touch after Jimmy leaves. Even though her Peter is adored by his rugby mates and doesn't have to study to be around them, it's clear why he's stayed friends with this lot.


End file.
